AV CAMP

November 2025

Camp Fairfield Reunion

This past weekend we held our FIRST EVER Camp Fairfield Alumni Day!

We welcomed alumni from Camp Fairfield, the camp that operated on these grounds from 1949 to 1978 before our Archdiocese purchased the property. Barry Vance, former Assistant Director, and his wife Linda joined us as keynote speakers, sharing stories from their years at Camp Fairfield in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Barry and Linda have remained active in camp ministry even after leaving Camp Fairfield nearly 55 years ago. They brought old photos (we made copies!) and even an old Camp Fairfield sweatshirt.

A recurring theme in their reflections was the profound impact camp life had on countless young people shaping character, building lifelong friendships, and most importantly nurturing a deep faith in Jesus Christ. After lunch and discussion, we took a tour of the camp. They especially loved seeing St. Ignatius Chapel.

The alumni expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome they received and were truly impressed by how the ministry of Antiochian Village continues to flourish.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended. God willing, we look forward to hosting the Camp Fairfield Alumni again next year.

Funny moment from the weekend - when they walked into the Gathering Place, they remembered the smell - FROM 60 YEARS AGO!

Summer Registration Updates!

Important Update:

2026 Summer Camp Registration is moving! It will not be opened on the first Sunday in January like usual. All Antiochian Archdiocese camps are going through a registration system change in the new year and as of now we do not have a set date for when Summer Registration will be opened. We still hope to open registration in January. The exact date will be announced when we know more and will be advertised, so stay tuned for updates!

Winter Registration

Registration for the first programs of the new year are open!

Get signed up now before it's too late!

(Registration link is the same for any program)

Winter Family Camp (FWAMP):

January 16-19

Ages: All ages!

Guest Speaker:

Fr. Nicholas Belcher

Winter Family Camp Info

Winter Camp (WAMP):

February 13 - 16

Ages: Grades 7-12 (spots are filling up fast!)

Guest Speakers:

Fr. Seraphim Solof (and more to follow)

Winter Camp Info

Apply for Staff or Volunteer

Miss AV and looking to come back?

Apply to be on WAMP staff or volunteer for our winter programs!

Apply Here

The truth is, Winter Family Camp and WAMP need people like you! Staff and volunteers are a vital part in providing the best program possible. From singing in the dining hall to helping after meal time, we couldn't do this without you!

St. Raphael Pilgrimage Recap

The St. Raphael Pilgrimage was a wonderful success, Glory to God! Nearly 60 pilgrims gathered at AV from North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, upstate NY, and PA to celebrate the feast of St. Raphael. With His Grace Bishop THOMAS presiding, the weekend began with a beautiful Great Vespers service on Friday evening, followed by Orthros and Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning and a joyful community brunch. Services were held in SS Peter and Paul Chapel in the presence of St. Raphael's relics and new reliquary.

It was a time of prayer, reflection, and fellowship—bringing together families and friends to grow in faith and celebrate one of AV's beloved patron saints.

Welcome Home!

Ever wonder what's going on at camp when it's not summer?

During the non-summer months at AV, our camp grounds and facilities are rented out by different groups looking for a place to retreat. In September, October, and November we welcomed several rental groups, including a clergy wives retreat, our beloved alumni called "Brolympics", a Scout group from Pittsburgh (led by alum Nathan Catanese), a local Baptist church group, and a scrapbooking group that has been coming for 20 years. We also welcomed the Johnstown Chamber of Commerce to use our challenge course for some team bonding!

We also welcomed back a very special guest this past month, Fr. Anthony Yazge (Camp Director 2006-2020).

We even convinced him to take a picture with the room named in his honor - Yazge's Place (our sensory room).

ACA Accreditation

It's official! We passed!

From September 2024 - June 2025, our Director of Operations, Nick Dujmovic, worked tirelessly to ensure AV Camp would pass our ACA Accreditation. By doing this, we make sure to stay current on best practices and safety standards in the camping industry. While we fill out updates each year, we receive an in-person evaluation every 5 years and this was the year. They took detailed looks into policies, procedures, programming, and facilities.

We are pleased to say that we got a perfect score! Well done Nicholas!

Most importantly - we're grateful to know that our camp is up-to-date and staying as safe as possible.

Stay tuned for registration opening for our programs!

Program	Dates	Registration Opens
Staff Ski Retreat	Jan 2 - Jan 4, 2026	Email programs@avcamp.org
Winter Family Camp (FWAMP) Guest speaker - Fr. Nicholas Belcher	Jan 16-19, 2026	Open Now!
Winter Camp (WAMP) For grades 7-12!	Feb. 13 – Feb. 16, 2026	Open Now!
Summer Family Camp	May 22 - 25, 2026	Registration Opens Jan. 18 at 6pm EST
Summer Camp	S1 June 14 - June 26 S2 June 28 - July 10 S3 July 12 - July 24 S4 July 26 - Aug. 7	Registration TBD
Arch Week	June 28 - July 5	Applications TBD
Iconography	Week of June 7 - 14 Exact dates TBD	Registration TBD

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Shop online at Namie's Nook!

Our Nookstore is online - check out all the merchandise from sweatshirts to Christmas ornaments. AV swag makes great Christmas gifts! Don't forget our new thrift store as well!

Check out the Nookstore!

AV Thrift Shop!

Have old AV gear that you don't need anymore? Donate it to our Thrift store and we'll sell it for a discounted price! If you are a camper parent, feel free to bring items on arrival day.

A thank you to our alumn Amanda Regnier for this idea!

To donate, just mail items to:

AV Camp - attn Thriftstore

201 Saint Ignatius Trail

Bolivar, PA 15923

We've already received many donations!

RELIVE AV MEMORIES!

Hey AV Alumni! Do you love flipping through our photo albums when you come to visit? Well our previous Director of Communications Constantine Kallaur has scanned all of our photos from our photo collection going all the way back to 1981! In an effort to preserve the history of The Antiochian Village, we are in the process of digitizing as much content as we have. Our Director of Operations, Nick Dujmovic, has collected camp videos going all the way back to the 1990s as well.

Check out our SmugMug photo-site and our Vimeo page below to re-live the AV memories!

Photos Here!

Videos Here!

Visit our Website